As the human population increases almost everywhere, the population pressure on the water supply is increasingly felt, especially in arid, desert regions of which Southern California is archetypal. Almost all of the water in Southern California is imported by aqueduct either from Northern California, or from the Colorado River in Arizona.
To appreciate this invention it is important to know that at the time of this writing, several years of severe drought have caused a critical water shortage in Southern California. Many Southern California cities instructed residents not to water their greenery, and to simply let their lawns die. Some cities had water policemen whose specific duty was to patrol the city checking for unauthorized landscape watering. Cities passed out water restricting showerheads to replace older ones, and gave considerable rebates to owners who replaced their conventional toilets with special water saving toilets.
In a nutshell, it became apparent in Southern California that conventional plumbing equipment and techniques could not adequately accomplish the needed water conservation. This problem is also faced in many other areas of the world. Thus, flow restrictors, often built into an appliance such as showerheads, began to be put into service recently. Some flow restrictors, for example those used on faucets, are put right on the dispensing nipple of the faucet, and are easily removed by disgruntled occupants. Most restrictors are subject to becoming clogged, causing their simple removal without replacement in many instances. Any such restrictor or shower head with a built-in flow limitation in its design is subject to becoming clogged with particulates in the water supply, and also, in some cases, to creating a considerable hissing noise in the water lines.
There is a need for a means and method for restricting water flow in a traditional plumbing system which is quiet, self-cleaning and clearing, simple to install, and easily installed out of sight or reach of the water consumer to prevent its arbitrary removal by those who prefer to use water in wasteful quantities. Those who do not pay for the water, such as apartment renters and motel/hotel guests, are notorious for this.